DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Characters of the world of Harry Potter, I only actually own Ais. Prue and Fera belong to two friends of mine whom I've rp'd with.

A/N: Reviews keep me motivated, flames will be read then either thought about if constructive or used to roast marshmellows on if it is about having Mary Sue's in a story or how AU it is. I know there are MS's and it is AU, I wrote it that way. I want to send love out to my friends Mike, Allie, Salem, Amy, Anya for helping create charas in the story and rping w/ them so I have somthing to write about, though I've changed some things. I want to give kick in the arse to Blake then a hug for his help in some rewording and a hug to Joanna who may not read this but I wuvies her anyway since she helped with the hardest sentance to write and edit.

If Things Happened Differently

Chapter 1

The train, it sometimes becomes the best part of the school year and then others it becomes the worst. This particular year was bound to be hard. I needed to take my OWL's this year, and then when the year is done and over with I'm not sure whether to be happy or not. Now I would normally be happy to see this group of Gryffindors graduate. They call themselves the Marauders... there are four boys that are irritatingly inseparable. Two girls hover around them, as if trying to live off the popularity of the four like vultures circling a rotting carcass. One is a mudblood, no less, and the other is the twin sister of one of the boys. Yes, they finally will be leaving, and thankfully not a moment too soon in my opinion. Though it is somewhat sad, Severus Snape, a 7th year in Slytherin, he also will be leaving. Normally I could just talk with his sister, but I really am not a good friend with the girl. Pure Snape, she is in the same year as myself, though she is a Gryffindor. I felt horrible for Severus, his own family placed in that house of fools. Though she really is one of the few acceptable Gryffindors out there, wait 'acceptable Gryffindors?' I suppose that sounds odd, but I guess that's only due to that she is.

I am sure by now; you would be wondering who I am, and what part in the story of everyone I am involved in telling. I am Aislin Elizabeth Vetguis. As I stated earlier, I am a 5th year and in Slytherin House. Now normally two students from 5th year and above from each house are selected as prefects, did I get that honor, well, no. I usually am around Severus when he usually is the target of the Gryffindors, thus I tend to be involved in pulling pranks on those fools, so Dumbledore has never really seen me as an ideal student, though Professor Riddle, he has noticed that I am a good student. Though I cannot say much for that Professor McGonagall, I have no clue what Prof. Riddle sees in that woman, she is the paradigm of Gryffindors, while he is the heir of Slytherin. She teaches Transfiguration, while he teaches DADA, and surprisingly he is alert and knows when you know a bit more Dark Arts then you should know, Severus and I have been given a few too many chats by that man, my family is very interested in the Dark Arts and he shares my interest in them. Though he does have one heck of a book collection, he let Severus and me in his office to see his book collection at the end of last year when he gave us the most recent "little talk" on the "dangers" of the Dark Arts. I wonder sometimes how long until he goes off his rocker like Dumbledore.

I had arrived to the platform at a decent time; half an hour before the train was set to leave, my parents, and my elder brother Callum loaded my trunk on the train, after saying my goodbyes to them, I began wandering the train. As I stepped through and looked in compartments, I found the one that the Gryffindor group inhabited. It was not that hard to find, Sirius Black, though he was from a good family, gosh that guy is an idiot sometimes. Sirius is also very, very loud, so he made it easy to identify the compartment.

"Lils that's great! Don't act like you didn't expect it to happen, who else would they have made Head Girl?"

I was sure at that, a look of shock appeared on my face, that little mudblood was head girl, what was the school coming to? I felt very bad for Severus if he had been chosen as Head boy to need to associate with that filth, though my answer to who that was came quickly also from that compartment.

"Paddy calm down, the good news isn't over, with Lily's news, I may need to loan you the cloak a bit more often, in addition to staying team captain of our wonderful quidditch team, I will get to spend quite a bit of time with Lily here, and on Dumbledore's orders."

"Prongs, you got Headboy! Yeah, we'll get Snivellus now, how can we get in trouble, you'd never turn your fellow Mauraders in for a prank and old Snape's gonna get so many detentions for stuff, this year will definitely be the best."

I quickly moved away from the compartment, I could not believe my ears; the Gryffindors had both heads this year that almost never happens. I began quickly walking away from their compartment to see Severus walking down the train compartment hallway. I looked over at him walking towards her in his usual way of trying to scare off random first years that did not know better then to try to bother him. Shaking my head at the sight of him scaring off the younger years was always amusing.

"Not that good of a time getting here Severus?" I asked, giving him a small smile as we entered the compartment I was in previously, leaving the door a bit open incase others felt it necessary to see that the compartment was occupied, and it's not like we were dating, so there was no real need to keep it closed.

"Yes, of course it was splendid getting to the train for the last time, the amount of muggles around was too many. It made it even harder to get past the barrier. You would think that the Ministry, with all their rules on keeping our world secret would find a better means of having us go to school then to try and deal with getting by the barrier with so many muggles in London."

"Severus, you say this every time I ask you, once you graduate why don't you work in the ministry then and change that?"

"I can't bother working with the Ministry; I am planning on getting a potion apprenticeship and becoming a Potions Master, than researching them and formulating new potions."

I slowly tried not rolling my eyes, for as long as I have known Severus, he has always had a potions kit nearby or thinking of potions. Though it is not surprising, he hardly understands my love of Arithmacy or my lack of interest in Divination with my continued taking of the class with the loons that teach it. Is it really my fault that Divination is a "gift" that I was stuck with? I hate that course yet I saw no point in taking Muggle Studies, or Caring for Magical Creatures. I don't see why people take that class, really, house elves aren't that hard to handle and they can take care of other creatures, and Muggles, well there's no need to know about them, they only produce more muggles or mud bloods, both of which the world could use less of. So that has been the classes I take, Potions (thankfully Severus helps me with it), DADA (and we take Defense Against instead of Dark Arts themselves why?), Transfiguration, Herbology, Ancient Runes, Arithmacy, and Divination. I've already planned on quickly dropping many of them after these dratted O.W.L.'s but that is actually up to Professor Riddle whether I can or not. He had made a few comments that I will need to start thinking of what I would like to do after school and that would determine my courses that I take my latter 2 years. I envy Severus in that matter, he doesn't need to take some of the pointless classes, though he's never really understood why I bother taking Divination, only my mum and the Headmaster know why I bother, family gift my arse, try family curse, that's why I take the stupid class.

He and I then began talking about the upcoming year, his plans for after his N.E.W.T.'s and my looking forward to O.W.L.'s. When the topic of the Head Girl and Boy arose I apologized that he was not given the honor and that as much as he may have deserved the honor maybe it was better he did not have it. When I stated that he questioned what I meant, then I needed to reveal that it was the little mudblood that had been selected as Head Girl and that if he had been given Head Boy he would have been forced to associate with trash like her. He then realized what I was saying and commented that since he wasn't Head Boy that he was planning on spending time in the potions lab that he had been given access to given his aptitude for the class. I smirked knowing that I knew he would never leave that lab unless he absolutely needed to and even then, it would be questioned. Slowly the topic changed to Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black, whom he had informed me had gotten married over the holiday, I was somewhat surprised only that I hadn't known. I had not known them that well but all respectable pureblood families knew each other, and many had formed arranged marriages for their children. I was happy in that respect that Callum was elder then me and I would be allowed to marry whom I pleased as long as my parents approved, they had already told me that as long as they were from a respectable family and I cared for them, and he for I then they would support me. Callum however as he was eldest had been given an arranged marriage, or well would be having one. His finance as you could call her was not from England or the UK at all; she was the daughter of some family friends from over in France. Callum though did confess that he was glad it was Melanie, he had become slightly worried when one of Narcissa's sisters Bellatrix had started paying him more attention during his later years in school. I myself nearly gagged at the idea she would become my sister-in-law. Thankfully though she was trying to get the attention of her now husband, and get him to notice her and become jealous, when Severus had mentioned Lucius and Narcissa's marriage I nearly immediately thought of Callum being arranged to marry Bella and began laughing. Severus quickly became confused and after I explained my train of thought, he too began to laugh slightly which for those that know him would realize it not that uncommon even though he produces a hard exterior shell to the outside. The conversation soon kept on the topic of marriage and families, which never would I have thought where it would have led.

"So your parents said what about how they want you to be married?"

"Severus I told you, they said as long as he was from a respectable family and we cared for each other they would fully support me."

"Respectable? As in how respectable?"

"Most likely the normal meaning of the word. Next to nil muggle blood in their family and the family is seemingly well known in most social circles. Honestly, I never really asked for clarification, they know I would never see someone with a traceable amount of muggle blood in them. Family bloodline is important, and it's without much doubt that the guy would be in Slytherin, or even a rare Ravenclaw would make them happy."

"Well what do you think you want in a husband, really you're in your fifth year Ais, most people are married shortly after school, especially the girls, what are you looking for?"

"Severus shouldn't you be thinking the same, this is your last year, I at least have 2 more to decide what I want for my life, have you given any thought to marriage?"

"Well actually yes I have, though I'm not sure how to make a small gesture to her yet, you know how I am, I don't talk to many females, and I don't understand how your brains work."

I laughed a bit realizing how true it was that Severus did not associate much with other people. I was almost surprised that we talked. I wondered almost if Callum had played a part in that, knowing he was between us in age, once he was gone Severus could take over as overprotective brother. He knew I hated how he did that. It was then that I then noticed that Severus had looked a bit hurt and must have misinterpreted my laughing. "What, I was kind of shocked how bluntly you comment on how you don't tend to associate much with others, your always in that potions lab, never in the Common Room with the rest of us, that's all."

"Well that's because I know my future is in potions that's why. I am not the one taking a semi-pointless class, and even you admit you hate it. Though I have heard you, comment that you would rather just take your N.E.W.T. in Divination and get the class over. Why did you sign up for that class anyways? It's a waste of time, everyone knows that."

"Severus, you know who my parents are and what they are like. They told the headmaster that it was necessary that I took the class. I did everything I could to get out of it, but nothing seems to work. I do not know what it is, but I just cannot stand the class as much as the people in it. The only reason they are taking it is for an easy grade. I hate having to go, I hate every second that I am forced to spend in there. But as always I don't have any say in what I do around here." With that I stood up, then realizing the door to the compartment had somehow been closed while we were talking, though I don't remember when, wait, Severus, he had acted a bit odd after I began laughing and explained why after, he must have closed it then, but why. As I neared the door I heard them again, the mudblood and the little group she clung to, they were walking down the corridor. I turned back and slumped back in my seat, I did not want to deal with them nor did I want to disclose where Severus and I were sitting, I knew we did not have much of a chance with the mudblood and Potter as Head Girl and Boy. As I did that he noticed my expression of disgust at the door, it wasn't hard to tell now that the Gryffindor group was nearby and walking down the corridor, Sirius Black was the loudest person on the train and he didn't halt to show that fact. We both seemed to inwardly groan at the though of having to deal with the group, even more so now that two had become the heads. "Why though was the door closed, I remember it being open when we entered and sat?"

"That would be that I wanted to not have the entire train hearing us talk about our parents and former students, as I myself prefer to keep my life not socially announced unlike some people." He stated glaring at the door to the compartment and hearing Sirius Black nearby.

"We haven't found Snapey yet; we can't start the year off bad and not get in the first good prank Prongs."

"Paddy if you were to check every compartment, it would take too long." He said, "Besides the smell of the git is enough to alert us to where he is anyhow."

At that I was getting enraged, so was Severus, it was so like them, he works around potions non-stop, he can't help some of the ill effects it has on him, can he? "James, Sirius will you just leave him alone, gosh it's the last time I'll get to ride the train with you bunch and you want to beat on my brother before the train starts? If you think your going to do that, you have another thing coming, He may be a slimy Slytherin git, but he's my brother of a slimy Slytherin git, now cool it."

Severus and myself both couldn't help but roll our eyes, Prue, yet again had tried to stop the group from annoying and bothering him, it never really seemed to work, but she still tried every time. I give him so much credit sometimes, a Gryffindor as a sister, and I felt bad for Bella and Narcissa when their cousin Sirius was a Gryffindor. Their whole family was ashamed, but this was Severus, and his sister and he still acknowledged who she is. Most people would have disowned a Gryffindor in such an old and what people say as darker family. We are not dark, we just know where all the good spells are, and most have family spells that are not Ministry approved. Every time I think of that girl and the fact that she associates but less befriended those stupid people in the house, I am reminded when Callum warned me against getting into a house other then Slytherin and Ravenclaw. He said Ravenclaw was the only other acceptable house, and that if I was not in Slytherin, I had better hope I was in there. Prue though, she was in Gryffindor, I really wondered what was worse, getting Hufflepuff or becoming a Gryffindor. It was not a shock when I heard her and the others she was with start walking away from the compartment.

As I heard her and the others, finally not within earshot, which for Sirius Black takes quite a while, I could not help but let out a small laugh. Severus at seeing this gave me a curious look of wonderment at what caused me to laugh out of nowhere. At that I simply smiled and told him I was thinking of how long it takes Black to get out of earshot. When he realized what she was laughing at he nodded in agreement. "What were we talking about anyway before they came near our compartment anyways?"

"I believe you were going to tell me what girl it was that you were thinking of talking to more." I asked trying to get it out of him, though doubting he'd tell me. As I finished the sentence the train began to finally move.

"Nice try Ais, I was not about to tell you who it was that I was about to approach. It's about time this train started, I also thought we had moved on from that topic and moved onto talking about why on earth you still take that ridiculous Divination class and why you are planning on still taking it throughout your years at school."

I simply tried not to roll my eyes at that comment; I wasn't able to tell him about the family trait, things weren't safe to. Even though he was a Slytherin the trait was one to very sought over by people of power. No one was sure, but there were rumors going around many old families of someone trying to gain support and possibly rise up and start working to clear the mudbloods from the school, and to start slowly removing the muggle population also, but without knowing who knows of what, and who exactly is the one searching to gain the power no one is able to be too sure of themselves. "I though we had gotten off of talking about classes not that we ever started talking about them. Severus you know who my parents are, they told the headmaster what classes I was to take. I never chose what to take like other students did. Yes Callum choose his own classes, but my mother insisted I take Divination; I haven't a clue as to why I need to take it. I could take the N.E.W.T'.'s now and get full marks on it, the class is so boring, and such a joke."

"So drop it after your O.W.L.'s then. Surely your mother can't make you take it longer then that. Your last two years need to be focused studies on what you intend to do with your life, not taking classes to make your mother happy. Ais you're Slytherin remember that, not a Gryffindor, so start acting like it, please, start acting like it."

"Severus, what on earth are you going on about? Of course I'm a Slytherin, I'd never act like one of those fools. I know your sister is one of them, but so is Black and Potter and those two are not how I act. What am I doing that makes me act so much like one of them? Why also would it be such a concern of yours how I act anyways?"

I retorted, I was mad, I could not believe what he had accused me of doing. What was it to him though how I acted, it wasn't as if how I acted reflected at all on him. No, that was Prue, how she acted reflected on him, though most of the house had given up commenting on how she had come from a good family and ended up there. The only other way in which I would act would reflect onto him was if we were betrothed or even dating. My parents though had assured me that it was only Callum that was already betrothed to someone. I was allowed to wed and date whomever I pleased as long as they approved of the person and their family. Then it hit me, Severus had been acting odd so far, and he had made the comment on liking a girl but not knowing how to go about approaching her or the subject of dating itself. I looked over at him a bit unsure of myself then and saw he had almost looked hurt, and for Severus to look hurt, it took a lot.

"I was just saying Ais, your not acting Slytherin in allowing your mother to pick your classes, especially if you dislike them. That's how your not acting Slytherin, you should be finding a way to get out of the class, especially that one, it's pointless, and it's not as if you don't admit that it is yourself. I know it's not my business how you act, I know it's not, though I thought you should know how you seemed to be acting." At that he took his bag and opened up a book, I didn't even need to glance at it to realize what kind of book it was. I thought for a moment before deciding to try out seeing if I could out-Slytherin him.

"Severus, I, I'm sorry, you are right, I should try and find a way out of the class. As proof of how sorry I am, I'm going to make it my job to help you win over that girl that you said you liked. Though I would need to know a bit about her to be able to help you figure out how to approach her." As the last part of my words left my mouth I watched to see his expression. He wasn't too easy to read like some other students were, Slytherin or not, some were just easier to read. He raised his brow to look at me from his book, I wasn't sure if he knew I was trying to outsmart him or not, or even if he was going to play me and fool me about the whole thing.

"Ais, what exactly are you going on about? Yes I know I stated that there was a girl that I wanted to approach, but do you really think I need help in achieving asking her out? I do have a younger sister, I know somewhat of how you females think, and I'm quite sure you have some other thoughts behind finding out more about the mystery girl. All I am going to say, is she is still at Hogwarts and is not in my year, and of course not in Gryffindor." He said with his usual tone when he no longer wanted to discuss something.

I shrugged; it seemed almost not worth trying to pry out of him. I then proceeded to watch out the window. I didn't want to start reading a book for the new term. Sleep though started to get the best of me as I watched the fields go by out the window. After what seemed like only moments, which though on the other hand I know must have been longer since the sky wasn't as bright as it had been. I let out a small yawn and looked over at Severus who was still reading yet again another Potions book it seemed. I really wondered sometimes how many of those books he did have. "Enjoy your nap? We're almost at school and should probably change, did you manage to remember to bring your robes in something other then your disorganized trunk this year?" he asked barely looking up from his book.

"Yes, I have my robes in my bag, it was only last year and it was Callum's fault, he made me search my things for a book of his thinking I took it. It wasn't really my fault he had a nice Dark Arts book and wouldn't let my mum take me to Kings Cross till he had his book. Shall I change first or you?" I asked trying to get off the topic of last year's events.

"You might as well change first, it will most likely take you longer anyways," he said standing up and exiting the compartment, closing the door behind him. I grabbed my bag and took my school uniform out, quickly changed and made sure my hair looked fine. I'm not picky about how it is, but after sleeping on the train and changing it had become slightly messed up. I went to the door and slid it open slowly to see that he had moved from the doorway to a few compartments down talking to another one of the boys in his year that I wasn't too sure of his name. "Severus, you can change now." I said walking over to him and poking him in the back.

"Hey, oh all right Ais." he said looking back to the other, "we can discuss this later then." he said in more of an order then a request. He entered the compartment as I went to ask the other shook his head telling me he wasn't going to tell me what the topic had been of. I walked back to the compartment door waiting for him to come back out and tell me I could go back in and sit. While waiting I heard the guys at the other end of the train start talking louder and heading up our way. School hadn't even started yet, but as we were still allowed to do magic once the train started, I knew they were hoping to pull the first prank on Severus, only causing me to knock on the door.

"What is it this time Airs? I am trying to get into my school robes, I gave you your time, what it is now?" he said opening the door slightly enough to hear them, then rolling his eyes he let me in reluctantly, full well knowing if I was standing outside the compartment it would allow them to know where we were sitting. Looking over at him, I noticed he was fumbling with his pants; I obviously had interrupted him in the middle of changing and quickly turned to face the door.

"There you have privacy and I'm not in the range of the Gryffindors for target practice." I said trying to be nice, as he didn't have to let me in. Waiting a bit, hearing them pass the compartment I let a small sigh out that at least we could wait till there were others around and a better chance to get at them. Wondering how long exactly it was going to take him to finish she decided to question him on it. Turning slightly and slowly, "Severus what is taking you . . ." I stopped as I saw him sitting back down reading again, "you could have told me you were done."

"I was about to ask you why you felt the need to stand there by the door, you only beat me to saying something." he said not looking up from the book.

"So . . . You were going to tell me who that girl was, well?" I asked trying once again to try and get the information from him, "I can't help you if you don't say who it is, and you really need to find someone, it is your last year."

"Ais, I'm not going to tell you, I've told you that. I'm also trying to think of how to even bring the subject up. I know other guys have talked with her, I just, I'm not going to discuss this, and look we are about to stop, see Hogsmede is just up there." he said pointing out the window to the nearby town only seemed a few moments from arriving at.

I shook my head slightly and went back to sitting as I looked out the window, before feeling the train stop and hearing the other students move about getting their things and the stupid groundskeeper calling for the first years so they can get in the boats. I stood up, trying to get my trunk down and put my extra bag in it before stepping out and watching the first years go before getting into a carriage. Looking back and over I saw Severus get into one with the person he was talking to earlier, I wasn't sure whether relief was the feeling or not, I needed to think about everything that'd happened on the train before smiling at some year and dorm mates that joined the carriage I was on and we started for the school.